What Is A Supercharger And What Are Some of Its Key Functions?

Superchargers are widely used in the automotive industry as air compressors. One of the main functions is to amplify the torque and horsepower of an internal combustion engine therefore supercharging the car's performance. The power can come automatically from a belt that's attached to the engine crank.

Many people wonder if cars are at their best when they are supercharged or when they are turbocharged. You must keep in mind that even though turbochargers use powerful compressed exhaust gases to increase a vehicle's power they are no match for the power a supercharger is able to provide.

Brief History:

Around 1860 the Roots brothers (Philander and Francis Marion) who founded the Roots Blower Company were able to design an air mover to use with several industrial applications. Later on this device was patented by many spirited individuals such as Dugald Clerk who made the first engine supercharger in 1878 and Gottlieb Daimler who acquired a German copyright for forced inducting an internal combustion engine in 1885.

How it Works?

There are many ways for supercharging a vehicle but they all work within a similar fundamental principle. Normally a belt is needed to turn a motor's crankshaft. When air passes through the supercharger via the intake manifold, it will force greater air into the motor to increase the horsepower.

When the RPMs (revolutions per minute) increase then the supercharger also spins up. The end result will have a lot to do with the condition your supercharger is in.

How to install it?

Generally, you'll going to use a tappet/wrench, a drill/drill bit, and a hammer/mallet for the installation process.

Here are the few steps to take:

1- Initially you must clean the inside of the parts and the hoses prior to connecting them to avoid contaminating the new supercharger. 

2- Set up the oil drain hose to the drain fitting and lock it with a hose clamp and be careful not to damage the supercharger. 

3- Place the supercharger on the car while making sure that the oil drain line points downward. Go beneath your car to connect the oil line and the drain towards the oil pan. 

4- Connect the idle assembly with about 12mm bolts with the use of a wrench to lock those bolts. 

5- Press on the intake elbow softly against the supercharger while using a mallet. 

6- Bring in the back elbow from the fender to the inlet. 

7- Cut a hole which is meant for the air temperature sensor before installing the back elbow and this can be completed with a drill bit. The sensor must be positioned closer to the outer region of the elbow bend. 

8- Afterwards, connect the elbow towards the tube which is attached to the airflow meter. 

9- Finally, place the hose clamps against the end of the inlet tube so it's easier to put on the blue rubber hose. The blue hose is in between the back elbow and the inlet tube.

For those individuals who are not familiar with superchargers on vehicles, it is always recommended to research more on the subject matter. They are very beneficial especially if you are seeking to increase the overall performance and power of your vehicle.

Also before making a purchase keep in mind that there are different superchargers for each type of car and model. The supercharger also tend to be very different so making sure you research each supercharger will be essential to pick the one compatible with your vehicle.